The appeal of the bishops of Uganda: “stop the kidnappings and the violence”

In Rome for the ad limina visit with the Episcopal Conference, the bishop of Lyra, Giuseppe Franzelli, explains the role of the Church in the African country where in recent months there has been an increase in killings and organized crime

Protests and violence in Uganda

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Pubblicato il
19/06/2018

luca attanasio

rome

Uganda’s geopolitical position makes it a country at high risk of instability. after all it is surrounded by countries that are among the most affected by wars or political crises in the world: South Sudan, Congo, Burundi. Not far from there is Central Africa, battered by humanitarian emergencies and ongoing conflicts. The equilibrium enjoyed by the country is therefore extremely fragile and is in constant danger of being threatened by local or international issues.

Kampala has recently witnessed a worrying and disturbing phenomenon. In recent months, dozens and dozens of inhabitants have been abducted and, in almost all cases, have been killed. The Church, alarmed also for the more-than-a million-refugees from neighboring countries (mostly South Sudan and Congo) trying to enter the country - has launched an appeal to the government authorities to find peaceful solutions and to guarantee forced migrants a dignified reception.

Immediately after the celebration of the Holy Martyrs of Uganda, patrons of the country (3 June) and just before leaving for Rome for their ad limina visit to Pope Francis, the Episcopal Conference issued a statement that touches on some of the most crucial points of the current situation in Uganda. There is talk of education, of GMOs, of a new Catholic television channel but, above all, of social emergencies.

“We note with great concern – reads the note -that there has been an increase in kidnappings, organized crime and killings in our country and call upon the government and all security agencies to scale up their efforts to protect the life and property of Ugandans”.

“At the same time, we ask our fellow citizens to be more responsible and to be the guardian of each other... To the perpetrators of violence, we say: “Put an end to these senseless criminal acts and respect human dignity”. Another passage reads: “As the family of God we cannot ignore the situation of our brothers and sisters who have found refuge in our country. Uganda, in collaboration with international agencies, is doing its best to accommodate more than a million people. We welcome this enormous effort and at the same time call for the prevention of corruption and theft of funds intended for reception. As a Church, we are guaranteeing material and spiritual assistance so that no one feels abandoned by God and we urge our faithful to guarantee help and to visit refugee camps to bring help and show closeness”.

Vatican Insider, on the fringe of the feast organized by the Roman Parish of the Holy Martyrs of Uganda for the entire Episcopal Conference, met Monsignor Giuseppe Franzelli, Combonian Bishop of Lyra, who set foot in Uganda for the first time in 1971.

“We are in a moment of transition and concern - he explains - After a long phase of armed conflicts, there is now a state of underground hostility, what Pope Francis calls a low-intensity war, latent tensions that emerge especially when it comes to land and property. After some decades-long tensions, which have seen on one side the government and on the other Joseph Kony head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (a military formation that mixes spiritual aspects with manifest cruelty and that has fought in Uganda, but also in Congo, Central Africa and Sudan) conflicts have arisen for the lands that had been abandoned during the war”.

“People who returned home after a long time found their land occupied by illegitimate owners, sometimes members of the regular army. In some cases, the land - or regions’ borders changed resulting in inevitable clashes. Added to this is the fact that international or multinational entrepreneurs have licensed entire plots of land, fueling the serious phenomenon of landgrabbing,” Franzelli reports.

When asked if there was any fear of an increase in violence, the bishop: “We are very alarmed and for this reason, during our Plenary Assembly from 4 to 8 June last in Nsambya, Kampala, we decided to take a clear position as Episcopal Conference. We have been very concerned for several months about the growing phenomenon of kidnappings with ransom requests that punctually end with murders. Unpunished crime is rampant, with many arrests that are often fake and the feeling of insecurity is spreading like wildfire.

“Of the dozens and dozens of kidnappings, no one has yet been brought to justice,” Franzelli continues, “let alone the endemic corruption that is reaching an unbearable level. The police, for example, by President Museveni’s own admission, are very corrupt. Recently, the chief of police, Kayihura, was arrested for killing another policeman and thus surging an already high tension. As a Church, we are trying to speak with one voice, people have great trust in us. Our challenge is to speak freely without compromising on power and support the people”.

The Church looks urgently at the situation of the refugees, the prelate assures us: “Yes, it is an alarming situation. Caritas Uganda has been present in the camps since the beginning, there are now more than a million refugees who are for everyone, but for us believers even more, an open question. We posed the question of how to be close to them and how to foster greater sharing among us bishops and our dioceses”.